Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 19:42:44 GMT
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<title> MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE</title>
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<h1>MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE</h1>
<h3>IN THE</h3>
<h1>COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT</h1>
<h2>OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY</h2><br>
<h2>FALL 1996</h2>
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<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2>

 These guidelines describe departmental requirements for the Master of Science degree program
in Computer Science (COMSC) at Oklahoma State University.  Admission requirements are also
included.<p>  

The guidelines stated here are those of the Computer Science Department.  Certain other
regulations are imposed
by the Oklahoma State University Graduate School and are described in the Oklahoma State
University Catalog. It is the student's 
responsibility to satisfy all requirements of the Computer Science 
Department and the Graduate College.<p>

Graduate students are expected to participate in the professional activities of the department. 
This includes
attending seminars and colloquia, and suggesting improvements in curriculum and teaching.<p>
<hr>
<h3>REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION</h3>

In addition to the requirements listed in the Catalog, students must satisfy the following
requirements:<br>
<ol>
<li>a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university;     
<li>successful completion of an 8-hour calculus sequence;
<li> either a "B" average or better during the last two years of studies or a substantial
demonstration of mature performance in an industrial environment;
<li>a TOEFL score of 550 or better for international students;
<li>an undergraduate major in computer science or significant course work or work experience
in computer science.
</ol>
 A student well prepared for M.S. study should have a good background in mainstream computer
science.  This includes experience with procedural  programming languages (e.g., Ada, C,
Modula, Pascal, or Smalltalk), and non-procedural languages (e.g., Lisp, Prolog, or ML); 
background in computer architecture or assembly language, data structures, operating systems,
software engineering, and related  mathematics (e.g. mathematical
logic, discrete mathematics, and calculus).  A student who lacks experience in some of these
areas  may be admitted with deficiencies listed.<p>

The application cannot be considered until all of these materials are received by the
department.<p>

<h3>M.S. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS</h3>
<ol>
<li>The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level course work.  The
course work
must include:
<ul>
<li>core courses - 12 credit hours - 5113 or 5253, 5313, 5323, and 5413;
<li>elective courses - 12 credit hours; and
<li>M.S. thesis research courses - 6 credit hours.
</ul>
<p>
The student must receive a grade of "B" or better for each course used to satisfy the above
requirements. However, up to a maximum of two "C" grades will be accepted, if they are offset
by "A" grades in other courses.  Only one "C" is accepted in a core course, and it must be offset
by an "A" in a core course.<p> 

<li>Prior to enrolling in the 17th hour of course work, a student must select a graduate faculty
member from within the department to serve as the student's principal advisor.  The principal
advisor helps the student formulate an advisory committee.  The advisory committee is a group
of three graduate faculty members (including the principal advisor); the committee may include
up to one faculty member from outside the department.  The committee members approve the
student's Plan of Study and give final approval for the student's degree.  The advisory committee
must approve the student's performance on the Oral Qualifying Exam
and the Final Oral Exam.  The advisory committee can be changed by the student by submitting
a new plan of study before the Oral Qualifying Exam.  After the exam, any changes in the
committee must be approved by the Graduate Committee. 
<ul>
<p>
<li>Oral Qualifying Exam:  The oral qualifying examination is not an examination in the true
sense of the
word, but a proposal for the work to be completed for the M.S. thesis.  The student provides a
written proposal
and presents it orally to the committee.  The written proposal should be delivered to all
committee members
at least one week prior to the presentation.  It is the student's responsibility to schedule a public
presentation
at a mutually agreeable time and to reserve a room.  The advisory committee determines whether
the scope of
the proposed research is appropriate for a thesis.  A majority of the committee members must
approve the
proposed research.  Committee members signify their approval by signing the Qualifying Exam
Approval Form. 
The committee chairman outlines suggested changes on the form.  A copy of the Qualifying
Exam Approval
Form becomes part of the student's departmental file.  If the proposed research is not approved
by the
committee, a second attempt cannot be retaken in less than one month after the failed
examination, nor more
than twelve months after the failed examination.  A third attempt is not allowed.<p>
<li>Final Oral Exam:  A final oral examination is given by the student's advisory committee. 
The student
presents the thesis and answers questions regarding the work.  The written thesis must be
delivered to all
committee members at least one week prior to the presentation.  The presentation must be at least
sixty days
after the Oral Qualifying Exam.  It is the student's responsibility to schedule a public
presentation at a mutually
agreeable time and to reserve a room.  Only the presentation portion is open to the public.  The
public may ask
questions on the presentation.  After the presentation, committee members may ask additional
questions over
material covered in both core courses and courses listed on the Plan of Study.  If the student
fails, a second
attempt cannot be retaken in less than one month after the failed examination, nor more than
twelve months after
the failed examination.  A third attempt is not allowed.<p>
</ul>
</ol>
<hr>
<h3>UNRESOLVED ISSUES</h3>
Any issues not covered in this document shall be resolved by the departmental Graduate
Committee in
consultation with the graduate faculty in the Computer Science Department.<p>
For more information, try: <br>
<ul>
<li><!WA0><a href="http://a.cs.okstate.edu/faculty.html">Computer Science Faculty</a>
<li><!WA1><a href="http://a.cs.okstate.edu/csequip.html">Departmental Computing Facilities</a>
<li><!WA2><a href="http://a.cs.okstate.edu/finances.html">Financial Aid for Graduate Students</a>
<li><!WA3><a href="http://a.cs.okstate.edu/index.html">Return to Computer Science Home Page</a>
</ul>  
<hr>
Send any requests for more information to:  
<!WA4><a href="mailto:gradinfo@a.cs.okstate.edu">gradinfo@a.cs.okstate.edu</a>
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